Crate.



J. E. TATE.

CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED MAB. 24, 1908.

Patented l Mar. 7, 1911.

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[NVE TOR WITNESS/Es rm: "mms Ps1-sns co., wAsmNcrc/v. n. c.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES E. Ta'rii, of Middleton, in the county of Elbert and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Crates; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear7 and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in crates and more particularly to covers or closures therefor,-the object of the invention being to provide simple and elicient means whereby a cover can be secured upon a crate of any well known type, without the use of nails.

A further object is to provide improved devices by means of which a cover can be removably secured to a crate and made to bear upon the contents thereof with any desired degree of pressure.

lVith these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts as hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation (partly in section) showing a crate having my improved closure applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of a crate with the closure in place thereon, and Fig. 3 is a detail view of my improvements.

l represents a crate which may be of any ordinary construction, particularly such as is commonly employed for shipping peaches and other fruit.

Upon respective ends of the crate and disposed transversely, bars 2 3 are secured in any suitable manner. The bar 2 at one end of the crate is provided with an under-cut groove or recess t extending from end to end thereof for the reception of one endof a cover 5. This cover consists preferably of a thin board so that it will be somewhat Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led March 24, 1908.

Patented Mar. 7, 1911.

Serial No. 422,908.

flexible and is made of such length that when one end is disposed in the'recess 4f of bar 2, the other end will terminate in close proximity to the bar 3 at the other end of the crate. The bar 3 is provided with two (more or less) grooves or recesses G for lthe reception of keepers 7 which are pivotally attached to the cover 5.

In packing fruit, such as peaches into a crate, such quantity is placed into the latter as will slightly more than fill said crate and it is customary to press the cover in position and cause the fruit to lie closely. Thus when one end of the cover 5 is made to engage the bar and the other end of the cover is connected with the bar 3 through the medium of the keepers 7, said cover' will be bulged from end to end. For the purpose of causing the cover to lie fiat over the crate, a series of flexible straps 8 (preferably metal) is secured along each edge of the cover and each of said straps is provided with a series of holes 9, any one of which may be employed in attaching said strap to a headed pin l0 secured to the side of the crate. Thus it will be seen that the operator can press the cover down upon the fruit and when he has applied as much pressure to the fruit as the latter will stand without injury, he can attach the straps 8 to the headed pins l() and the tendency of the fruit to force the cover upwardly will cause said straps to become securely locked under the heads of the pins l0.

Slight changes might be made in the form and proportions as well as the materials constituting the several features of my iinprovements, without departing from the spirit of my invention and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details herein set forth.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is,-

The combination with a cover or closure and cross-bars adapted to be secured to a Crate and to be engaged by respective ends specification in the presenceV of two subof thedcovel` orheloslurqfot a series of stmp seribing Witnesses. secure at ezio sice o the Cover each o said straps provided with a series7 of holes JAMES E' TATE' for adjustable attachment of said straps to Witnesses: projections on the sides of the crate. J. B. BLACKWELL,

In testimony whereof, I have signed this H. P. HUNTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained [or five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

